A WOMAN has been imprisoned for falsely claiming she was raped by a soldier after he “rejected her.”
Rebecca Palmer, 26, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice at Winchester Crown Court after putting the squaddie through hell.
The court heard how she had consensual sexual relations with the man but pretended to officers investigating her phoney pregnancy claim that she was pregnant.
Palmer later claimed, when pressed further, that she lost the child in a suicide attempt.
A spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said she made the false allegations against a 22-year-old soldier with the King’s Royal Hussars, based in Tidworth.
“Rebecca Palmer engaged in consensual sexual activity with the victim, but when he rejected her, she embarked on a malicious campaign that resulted in him being arrested on multiple occasions and held in custody for extended periods of time,” said Joanne Jakymec, chief crown prosecutor.
The court heard how she had consensual sexual relations with the man but claimed she was pregnant to officers investigating her phoney pregnancy.
When pressed further, Palmer claimed that she lost the child in a suicide attempt.
A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokeswoman said she made false allegations against a 22-year-old soldier with the King’s Royal Hussars, based in Tidworth.
“When the victim rejected Rebecca Palmer, she embarked on a malicious campaign that resulted in him being arrested on multiple occasions and held in custody for extended periods of time,” said Joanne Jakymec, chief crown prosecutor.
“She falsely claimed that the victim retaliated against her by posting intimate pictures of her on Facebook.”
“Rape is a very serious offence,” Ms Jakymec continued, “and this case should not deter genuine victims of this crime from coming forward and reporting.”
“In this case, our thoughts are with the victim, and we hope that this verdict will allow him to move on.”
“Palmer’s behaviour has been completely unacceptable, and she has shown no regard for the level of upset she has caused to others,” a Wiltshire Police spokesman said.
“Palmer became completely entangled in her own web of lies, and her heinous behaviour may have a negative impact on victims of rape or sexual assault who may choose not to report it to police for fear of not being believed.”
“I would like to reassure victims of sexual assault that we take all reports extremely seriously and would encourage anyone who has been a victim to come forward and report it to police on 101, regardless of how long it has been since the offence.”
In addition, she pleaded guilty to five counts of malicious communication and three counts of perverting the course of public justice.
Palmer, of Swindon, Wiltshire, was sentenced to five years in prison.
